Kabataan Partylist asks SC to extend voter’s registration

MANILA (31-Oct-2012/PNA) – The Kabataan party-list Wednesday filed a petition before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking an extension of the voter’s registration period.

Wednesday is the last day of the voter’s registration period for the May 13, 2013 midterm elections.

In an urgent petition for certiorari and mandamus with an application for mandatory injunction, the Kabataan party-list is praying for the extension of the voter’s registration period up to Jan. 12, 2013.

The petitioner cited Section 8 of the Voter’s Registration Act which states that, “The personal filing of application of registration of voters shall be conducted daily in the office of the Election Officer during regular hours. No registration shall, however, be conducted during the period starting 120 days before a regular election and 90 days before a special election.”

“Despite this provision, Comelec has illegally set the deadline of the voter’s registration on Oct. 31, 2012, pursuant to several resolutions, such as Resolution No. 9168 and Resolution 9269,” Kabataan party-list president and general counsel Terry Ridon said.

Ridon added that there is an existing jurisprudence that proves that setting an October 31 registration deadline is illegal.

“In 2009, the Supreme Court has already ruled that the Comelec cannot prematurely terminate the continuing registration of voters before the prohibitive period of election registration defined under the law –- 120 days before the regular elections,” he argued.

He was referring to the the ruling of the SC in the case of Palatino vs. Comelec, which declared null and void the setting of the Oct. 31, 2009 deadline for the May 10, 2010 elections and directed Comelec to extend the voter’s registration period. (PNA)